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1110111011111. J. H. BULLARD.

Clutch Device for Sewing Machines.

No. 241,526. Patented May 17,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. BULLARD, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THESPRINGFIELD SEWING MACHINE COMPANY.

CLUTCH DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,526, dated May 17,1881. Application filed February 14, 1881. (No model.)

I To all whom it may concern The object of my invention is to provide acheap and convenient device for securing the loose band-wheel on thedriving-shaft of a sewingmachine fast or to the handwheel fixed thereonwhenever it isdesired that the said band-wheel shall actuate the sewingmechanism of the machine; and I accomplish this by the mechanismhereinafter described, and i]- lustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure I is a side view of the loose bandwheel and thehand-wheel to which it is secured when desired, and upon whose hub theband-wheel is arranged to revolve. Fig. II is the same side view of thehand-wheel, but without the band-wheel in place, and showing the clutchmechanism. Fig. III is avertical transverse section of Fig. I. Fig. IVis an inside view of the band-wheel.

In the drawings, A represents the handwheel, provided with a huh, I),and a hole, C, therein to receive the shaft which is to be driven and towhich the hand-wheel is secured, and this hand-wheel is provided with anannular projection, 2, cast upon the inside of the v inner or centralsolid portion, and this annular projection is connected with the hub orwith the central solid portion of the wheel by a web,

'4, also cast solid therewith. A hole, a, is made through the annularprojection, which is enlarged at that point for that purpose, said holeextending entirely through the solid portion of the wheel, and made of aconical form at the inner end, and the annular projection is then cuttransversely across the hole at 6. The

hand-wheel then being put in a lathe, the annular projection 2 isseparated from the part upon which it was cast by a narrow cuttingtool,separating the web also to any desired pointsay to the dotted line 5 inFig. II--by a narrow cut, (shown at 10 in Fig. III.) A bolt, 7, having aconical-shaped head to approximately fit the conical hole a and threadedat the other end, is inserted into the hole at that portion of the ringmarked 6, and a thumbgut, S, is turned upon thethreaded end of said olt.

The band-wheel B, which carries the drivin g belt, is provided with anannular flange, 1, into which the ring 2 fits easily, and said bandwheelis fitted to turn freely on the hub D, and when in place thereon itsflange l incloses the ring 2, which I denomiuate a spring-ring, theflange turning freely just outside of said ring.

When the hand wheel A, which may also serve as a balance-wheel, issecured fast to the driving-shaft of the machine the driving-belt passesaround the main driving-wheel and also around the band-wheel B, and ifthe drivingwheel be turned and the thumb-nut Sis not turned up againstthe outer face of the hand wheel the bandwheel B is free to revolve ineither direction upon the hub D Without turning the hand-wheel or theshaft to which it is secured 5 but if the thumb-nut 8 is turned upsnugly against the outer face of the wheel A, the conical head of thebolt 7 is drawn into the conical hole at the point 6, when the ring 2 iscut and the ends of the ring 2 are pressed apart, and the ring forcedoutward into contact with the interior surface of the flange 1 of theband-wheel, and the hand-wheel and bandwheel being thus firmly clampedtogether, both are caused to rotate by the driving-belt, and the shaftto which the hand-wheel is secured is also caused to rotate.

It is evident that the band-wheel, instead of being made to rotate uponthe hub D, may be j adapted to rotate directly upon the shaft, and thewheel A may be made without any hub D and fixed directly to the shaftwithout departing in the least from the operation of the invention.

It will be seen that when it is desired to run the band-wheel B ineither direction for any purpose, without turning the handwheel or theshaft to which it is attached, the thumbnut 8 is loosened; and if it isdesired to turn the hand-wheel and shaft the thumb-nut 8 is turned upagainst the outer face of the handwheel.

It is evident, of course, that the ring 2 may be made in a separatepiece from the handwheel and be riveted thereto without departin g fromthe invention; but I prefer to cast the ring and hand wheel in one pieceand after- 5 Ward separate them, except a portion of the web 4, whichholds the ring in place, as the latter construction I deem to be thebest.

Instead of being counterbored in a conical form at the ends of the ringat6, the ends may be made straight across and wedge-shaped, and the headof the bolt '7 may be made of a corresponding wedge shape, and a smallcam may be used at the outer end of the bolt to impin ge against theouter face of the hand-wheel in tightening the bolt to tighten it andforce the ends of the ring apart without departing from the principle ofoperation.

I am aware that spring-rings operated by a wedge have heretofore beenmade and used in clutch devices in various constructions, and I do notclaim the same, irrespective of its construction and application to awheel, so as to be operated directly through and in connection with saidwheel, substantially as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is .7

The combination. with the driving-shaft of a sewing-machine, of ahand-wheel adapted to be secured thereto, a divided spring-ring securedto or made upon one side of said handwheel, and with the ends of saidring made in a wedge shape or of conical form, a bolt with a conical orwedge shaped head inserted between the ends of said ring and throughsaid 3 5 hand-wheel in a direction substantially parallel with thedriving-shaft, with a knob at the outer end of said bolt to impingeagainst the outer face of the hand-wheel to tighten said bolt and openthe ring, and a loose band-wheel provided with a flange to inclose saidspringriug, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

JAMES H. BULLARD.

Witnesses T. A. OURTIs, OHAs. H. WOOD.

